Waiting For The Sirens' Call

I've found myself revisiting and re-appreciating this particular song lately.Kind of rediscovered the Jacknife Lee mix on one of the b sides of the 3x 7" pack and also an extended mix of that one which i seem to have downloaded from somewhere.. Also that "Jive Bunny" mega mix (Tribute Mix) of WFTSC with everything from Blue Monday, BLT, Thieves instrumental and Face Up all thrown in and working brilliantly.Think Hooky wanted that mix released as a b side didn't he? And of course the Planet Funk remix. Not so keen on the Filterheadz and Aisle Dub however

What about yous? Have you found a new appreciation of this great, underrated song lately?

I have been drinking, obviously.

Wish that "Jive Bunny" mix was on You Tube, it really is fantastic

Those great, underrated lyrics in full

What does this ship bring to me Far across the restless sea Waiting for the sirens' call I've never seen it here before

There she plies a lonely trade Cutting through the breaking waves Drifting slowly from her course She is lost forever more

We all want some kind of love But sometimes it's not enough To the wall and through the door With a stranger on the shore

I won't desert you I don't know what to say I really hurt you I nearly gave it all away

I've got it all wrong Cause you were not the wrong one And I don't know where to turn when you're gone When you're gone

Gotta catch the midnight train First to Paris then to Spain Travel with a document All across the continent

City life is flying by The wheels are turning all the while Get on board we can't be late Our destination cannot wait

All the stars and all the worlds Filling up this universe Could never be as close as us Will never shine as bright on us

I won't desert you I don't know what to say I really hurt you I nearly gave it all away

I've got it all wrong Cause you were not the wrong one And I don't know where to turn when you're gone When you're gone

I won't desert you I don't know what to say I really hurt you I nearly gave it all away

I've got it all wrong Cause you were not the wrong one And I don't know where to turn when you're gone

How many times must I lose my way, hey How many words do I have to say, hey What can I do just to make you see That you're so good for a man like A man like me

johnny wrote: I've found myself revisiting and re-appreciating this particular song lately.Kind of rediscovered the Jacknife Lee mix on one of the b sides of the 3x 7" pack and also an extended mix of that one which i seem to have downloaded from somewhere.. Also that "Jive Bunny" mega mix (Tribute Mix) of WFTSC with everything from Blue Monday, BLT, Thieves instrumental and Face Up all thrown in and working brilliantly.Think Hooky wanted that mix released as a b side didn't he? And of course the Planet Funk remix. Not so keen on the Filterheadz and Aisle Dub however

What about yous? Have you found a new appreciation of this great, underrated song lately?

I have been drinking, obviously.

Wish that "Jive Bunny" mix was on You Yube, it really is fantastic

WFTSC is one of New Order's best songs, great lyrics from Bernard and Hooky's basslines on it are top.

I wish they had made it more of a dance oriented track though, ala Temptation, because it sort of reminds me of Temptation a bit.

johnny wrote:

How many times must I lose my way, hey How many words do I have to say, hey What can I do just to make you see That you're so good for a man like A man like me

This final verse is fantastic. Sounds effortless.

Gene wrote:

johnny wrote:

How many times must I lose my way, hey How many words do I have to say, hey What can I do just to make you see That you're so good for a man like A man like me

This final verse is fantastic. Sounds effortless.

aye

I also really like

To the wall and through the door With a stranger on the shore

before it goes into the first chorus

Zachery Starkey wrote:

it sort of reminds me of Temptation a bit.

Good point, good call , Starkers. It does have a similar triumphant, celebratory feel to it like Temptation does.

johnny wrote: Also that "Jive Bunny" mega mix (Tribute Mix) of WFTSC with everything from Blue Monday, BLT, Thieves instrumental and Face Up all thrown in and working brilliantly.Think Hooky wanted that mix released as a b side didn't he? And of course the Planet Funk remix.

Anyone know where I can grab an MP3 of this? The multimedia link above seems dead.

I agree though, WFTSC is one of the few tracks from that album that captures the essence of NO for me. The cross fade vocal bit at 2.33 sounds ok on record but was always a bit dodgy live IMO.

The way Bernard sings the song, reminds me of the way he sang World. He really uses the higher range of his voice, which is a real thread for him I think.

Very brave song. I like it a lot.

johnny wrote:

Zachery Starkey wrote:

it sort of reminds me of Temptation a bit.

Good point, good call , Starkers. It does have a similar triumphant, celebratory feel to it like Temptation does.

Thanks. When I first heard WFTSC, I actually thought of it as a sequel to Temptation, lyrically. It's a great example than when Barney is inspired, he can write some truly great lyrics (True Faith, BM, TPK, Temptation, and the Technique and Republic records).

For me its the passover song,, wouldt fit on movement,, though sounds a bit age of consent so would fit on power corruption and lies,, and then came the end....its lovely .. and live ,,,loved it when B.L played it at Brighton....shame it got dropped though in a way, to much good stuff...............

lost ,forever more..

i have TWO copies of that tribute mix 10",as i dont have a record player.alas,i never heard it,same goes for the 3x7" releases....

An immediate fav top 20,altho will have to be the iTunes originals version as Hookys' bass line is as it is live,which I think is much better

WFTSC has slways been one of my faves too--now it's my mission to get the tribute mix. :)

wrote: i have TWO copies of that tribute mix 10",as i dont have a record player.alas,i never heard it,same goes for the 3x7" releases....

Hmmm, interested in selling a spare?

I've tried my hand at this rapidshare caper, not familiar with it so this may not work but try here for http://rapidshare.com/files/424420251/Waiting_For_The_Sirens__Call__Tribute_Mix_.mp3

ah, bugger, it seems you have to pay to download? forget it then

oh, hang on, there's a free option. try that. sound quality isn't 100% but it's still good

Select Slow Download. Worked for me when i tested it.

There's a longer version of that Tribute Mix on a DMC CD

Available here, but pricey...

That WFTSC mega mix of all (or most of) the tracks on the album was alright but never played it that much.The Tribute mix with snippets of BM, BLT, Shellshock, Thieves instrumental, True Faith and Face Up among others is, however, brilliantly put together.A cracking mix Anybody know who did that mix?

Nice one, Ally.Cheers for the info Yeah i do remember it had been planned to be featured on the Turn release.Shame that release never happened.

Denholm Reynholm wrote:

Nick King wrote: There's a longer version of that Tribute Mix on a DMC CD

Available here, but pricey...

Ah yeah I've got that CD but it's not the Tribute Mix on there :) rather it's the DMC Megamix they put together to promote WFTSC album itself. It only contains tracks from the album whereas the Tribute Mix intended for the "Turn" single contains samples from a host of NO tracks stretching back over the years to Confusion.

The best way to differentiate them is that Guy Garrett did the "DMC Megamix" and Wally Gagel did the "Tribute Mix". The Gagel mix is the one confined to the 10" and an extremely hard to find CDr acetate. There's a Greek Jetstream CDr out there with different edits of the DMC Megamix too. One of them was released on NOOL here (the "MegaMix"). They were always intended for promotional purposes only and not general release.

Two different kettles of fish entirely but easy to mix up thanks to the bloomin' promo mislabelling and a complete lack of clarity from the label.

Shock horror when it comes to Warners twats.

To make things just that more confusing, I think there were two versions of the 'Tribute Mix' (not the album megamix thingy), from memory there was a version that ran a little longer than the version on the 10". Will check it out when I get home tonight...

Cool, good to know I didn't imagine it - thanks 'Denholm'

johnny wrote: I've tried my hand at this rapidshare caper, not familiar with it so this may not work but try here for http://rapidshare.com/files/424420251/Waiting_For_The_Sirens__Call__Tribute_Mix_.mp3

Awesome, cheers for that. I love it by the way - why that wasn't released in some way I dunno.

johnny wrote: I've tried my hand at this rapidshare caper, not familiar with it so this may not work but try here for http://rapidshare.com/files/424420251/Waiting_For_The_Sirens__Call__Tribute_Mix_.mp3

Thank you!!! Do I love it? Hell yeah!

the itunes version is just top notch. I never thought of it as Temptation like, might have to turn up the BPM a few notches and see what happens.

When push comes to shove, there are only three songs off the last three albums that I count as absolute top-drawer New Order: “Regret”, “Primitive Notion” and “Waiting for the siren’s call”. The first time I heard “WFTSC” I got goosebumps like I never got from any song since, well, “Regret”.

But I never got the same vibe off it that I do off “Temptation”: WFTSC's chord structure is not dissimilar, of course, but while “Temptation” is a song of giddy joy, “WFTSC” is more reflective and has a more typically ambivalent Bernard lyric. The chorus is an affirmation of existing love, but the first verse makes it clear the narrator tempted to escape; the second verse never lets on for which couple the stars won’t shine; and the closing section implies he won't stop straying.

Personally I think that the Neu!/motorik beat of the song fits like a glove. And the beautiful little motif at the end (Phil’s, I presume) tops off the song perfectly.

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The “MTV special” thread along with this one reminded me of seeing an interview on there with the group in 2005. Bernard complimented the others on producing such a fantastic backing track to what became the title song and how much pressure he felt (in a positive way) to come up with a deserving lyric and vocal melody. Hooky was talking about how great it had been recording at Real World and…everything was looking rosy. Of course, the album could have been better and they never had a hit on the scale of “Crystal” but I still don’t get how all that positivity turned to shit by the end of 2006.

A contemporary interview including short comments from the co-producers:

http://emusician.com/remixmag/artists_interviews/musicians/remix_manchester_united/

Maybe this was posted here at the time, but I never saw it.

Tony Casanova wrote: When push comes to shove, there are only three songs off the last three albums that I count as absolute top-drawer New Order: “Regret”, “Primitive Notion” and “Waiting for the siren’s call”. The first time I heard “WFTSC” I got goosebumps like I never got from any song since, well, “Regret”.

But I never got the same vibe off it that I do off “Temptation”: WFTSC's chord structure is not dissimilar, of course, but while “Temptation” is a song of giddy joy, “WFTSC” is more reflective and has a more typically ambivalent Bernard lyric. The chorus is an affirmation of existing love, but the first verse makes it clear the narrator tempted to escape; the second verse never lets on for which couple the stars won’t shine; and the closing section implies he won't stop straying.

Personally I think that the Neu!/motorik beat of the song fits like a glove. And the beautiful little motif at the end (Phil’s, I presume) tops off the song perfectly.

******************************************************************************

The “MTV special” thread along with this one reminded me of seeing an interview on there with the group in 2005. Bernard complimented the others on producing such a fantastic backing track to what became the title song and how much pressure he felt (in a positive way) to come up with a deserving lyric and vocal melody. Hooky was talking about how great it had been recording at Real World and…everything was looking rosy. Of course, the album could have been better and they never had a hit on the scale of “Crystal” but I still don’t get how all that positivity turned to shit by the end of 2006.

A contemporary interview including short comments from the co-producers:

http://emusician.com/remixmag/artists_interviews/musicians/remix_manchester_united/

Maybe this was posted here at the time, but I never saw it.

Regarding Temptation, I've always viewed WFTSC as being the lyrical sequel to Temptation. Temptation is about being young, kiddy, adventurous, loving and losing and learning from it, it's about finding yourself. WFTSC is an older, more sober look at the aftermath of all of that.

Cheers for posting that interview! Really great read. I too wonder how everything went to shit by 2006. I really thought WFTSC was a great album, personally. Better than Republic, Get Ready, Movement, and, yes, Brotherhood, in my humble opinion. Please don't throw a beer bottle at me.

Here is a great live version of WFTSC from the Canal session NO did when the WFTSC record came out. Cracking live version, with Phil playing keyboards during the intro (something he later dropped doing). Audio-Visual sync is a little off but its a great version.

when your gone

Zachery Starkey wrote: I really thought WFTSC was a great album, personally. Better than Republic, Get Ready, Movement, and, yes, Brotherhood, in my humble opinion. Please don't throw a beer bottle at me.

I think that even those lukewarm about the WFTSC album (like me) will one day be able to put together one really satisfying album -when the remaining 7 tracks from the sessions get released. We know that the unheard tracks weren’t held back for lack of quality – they were intended to form the basis of a whole new album. From the released material I’d keep “Who’s Joe” / “WFTSC” / “Krafty” / “I Told You So” /”GIAUE” / “Turn”.

I don’t exactly despise the rest but none of them say “play me now”, and I always skip them. I don’t mind Bernard following his pop instincts but I find “Jetstream” and “Morning Night and Day” charmless while “HNWYD” is dullsville. “Dracula’s Castle” lacks hooks (small ‘h’) and “Working Overtime” almost entirely lacks the energy that garage rock feeds on (and that “Rock the Shack” had in spades).

**********************************************************

Speaking of which - I like to do a Get Ready redux with some of its extraneous material. I program these tracks in this order:

1 Crystal 2 60 MPH 3 Turn my way 4 Vicious Streak 5 Primitive Notion

6 Here to Stay 7 Player in the league 8 Someone Like You 9 Behind Closed Doors 10 Close Range 11 Run Wild (Steve Osbourne mix)

……and it sounds like a really strong record to me.
I like “Sabotage” and “RTS” just fine, but I would have preferred to see the latter as a B-side too. "Slow Jam" is irredeemable.

It's classic New Order, and a nice version there too!

Nice to see one or two downloaded that Tribute Mix.

For my next song re-visit and re-appreciation thread i will be talking about Krafty - its high and low points, the various remixes, the artwork and also the video.I will be giving my re-appraisal of the song, the mixes, the artwork and the video.

Re: WFTSC. Yes, it's a good song and one of their better Title Tracks (is it New Order's ONLY track that has given the parent album its name? Indeed it would appear so.)

However, I like the version performed by the [briefly] reformed Cocteau Twins better.

Simon Raymonde's bass actually out-Hooks Hooky's!

And Liz Fraser is a fantastic replacement for Bernard's tired banal vocal stylings.

Johnny,

Many many thanks for the Rapidshare link. Had heard a fair bit about the mix but always thought it might be a bit rubbish.

However, I love it. I now easily prefer it to the Planet Funk mix.

For me, WFTSC is one of the great NO singles. For me it's one of my top 5 tracks of the decade, I'd say.

Probably been done to death on here, but by the way, "Oh Vanity" by Charlatans doffs a cap to WFTSC. Also a top, top tune.

Top man.

Cheers

By 'Eck! My Neck! wrote: Re: WFTSC. Yes, it's a good song and one of their better Title Tracks (is it New Order's ONLY track that has given the parent album its name? Indeed it would appear so.)

However, I like the version performed by the [briefly] reformed Cocteau Twins better.

Simon Raymonde's bass actually out-Hooks Hooky's!

And Liz Fraser is a fantastic replacement for Bernard's tired banal vocal stylings.

huh? where can i get that? i thought Liz was done with Cocteau Twins... ?

Tarbox23 wrote:

By 'Eck! My Neck! wrote: Re: WFTSC. Yes, it's a good song and one of their better Title Tracks (is it New Order's ONLY track that has given the parent album its name? Indeed it would appear so.)

However, I like the version performed by the [briefly] reformed Cocteau Twins better.

Simon Raymonde's bass actually out-Hooks Hooky's!

And Liz Fraser is a fantastic replacement for Bernard's tired banal vocal stylings.

huh? where can i get that? i thought Liz was done with Cocteau Twins... ?

Yeah I am VERY interested in hearing that version also.

linus sulanki wrote:

Tarbox23 wrote:

By 'Eck! My Neck! wrote: Re: WFTSC. Yes, it's a good song and one of their better Title Tracks (is it New Order's ONLY track that has given the parent album its name? Indeed it would appear so.)

However, I like the version performed by the [briefly] reformed Cocteau Twins better.

Simon Raymonde's bass actually out-Hooks Hooky's!

And Liz Fraser is a fantastic replacement for Bernard's tired banal vocal stylings.

huh? where can i get that? i thought Liz was done with Cocteau Twins... ?

Yeah I am VERY interested in hearing that version also.

He's joking

Luke wrote: The way Bernard sings the song, reminds me of the way he sang World. He really uses the higher range of his voice, which is a real thread for him I think.

Very brave song. I like it a lot.

autotune

Cocteaus version of Sirens?

Good joke that. Had me fooled too. Went searching for it on Youtube and all.

Funny thing though, was listening to Pearly Dewdrops Drops the other morning on my commute, and I thought how similar the bass was to Hooky's stylings.

Cheers

Parky wrote:

Funny thing though, was listening to Pearly Dewdrops Drops the other morning on my commute, and I thought how similar the bass was to Hooky's stylings.

Cheers

Do you commute on your paddy paddy paddy paddy bicycley dewdrops drops?

johnny wrote:

Parky wrote:

Funny thing though, was listening to Pearly Dewdrops Drops the other morning on my commute, and I thought how similar the bass was to Hooky's stylings.

Cheers

Do you commute on your paddy paddy paddy paddy bicycley dewdrops drops?

Heh heh, nice one!

No, actually on my chuff chuff chuffin' chuff chuff train...

Top track. Wish I'd seen Cocteau Twins on their revival dates, was it 2 years ago now?

Cheers